Dear Fellow Community Members,

I’m writing today to share that Provost Peter Kilpatrick will be departing Illinois Tech to assume the role of president of the Catholic University of America, starting on July 1.

Please join me in warmly congratulating Peter and thanking him for his extraordinary service to Illinois Tech since 2018. His leadership and vision helped reinvigorate our academic mission and provide new investments in student life. His conscientious judgment and care for each member of our community has been critical to stewarding the university through the COVID-19 pandemic.

I’d also like to personally thank Peter for his support and guidance during the transition to my leadership as president. I’m grateful that Peter has graciously agreed to remain engaged as our provost through the remainder of the spring semester.

Illinois Tech is much stronger because of Peter’s contributions. He spearheaded the development of our five-year strategic plan, the creation of the College of Computing, and the development of the Elevate Your Future commitment for our students. These achievements have directly furthered our purpose-driven position of being a leader in inclusive education and innovation.

Peter’s legacy will be an essential part of Illinois Tech’s history, and we will miss him as a colleague and friend. At the same time, we will watch with enthusiasm as he takes Catholic University to new heights. In the very near future, we will announce who will serve as the interim provost as well as outline our plans for selecting the next provost, who will continue to usher Illinois Tech into the next era. Please join me in congratulating Peter and thanking him for his remarkable service to the Illinois Tech community.

Sincerely,

Raj Echambadi
President, Illinois Institute of Technology